How to share someone else's Instagram Story to your own, or send it as a direct message

Instagram Stories are shareable in certain cases. Shutterstock

• You can share someone else's Instagram Story to your own if you've been tagged in it. 
• If you haven't been tagged, you can still share an Instagram story through direct message. 
• To share an Instagram story outside of the app, you can copy a link to send via text or email. 

Some moments you want to preserve forever. Others are fun — but may have a bit of a shelf life. For those kinds of memories, Instagram Stories can be a great option. 

Instagram Stories allow you to post so your followers can see what's going on, but they expire after 24 hours (unless, of course you add them to your Highlights).

Within that window, it is possible to share an Instagram story with others — or repost it to your own story — but there are a few stipulations. Here's what you need to know to share Instagram stories. 

How to share an Instagram Story

To share someone else's Instagram Story on your own story, you'll need to be tagged in the story. If you want everyone to be able to see it, the original poster's account will also need to be public. 

If you aren't tagged in a story, you can still share it via direct messages on Instagram, or copy the link and share it externally through email, text, or another social platform. 

How to share someone else's story to your own

You can share another person's story to your own story if they've tagged you in it and their account is public. If their account is private, the story will not be able to be viewed by anyone who doesn't follow the original poster. 

If you haven't been tagged in someone's story, you won't be able to share it to your own. To learn more, check out our guide on how to repost an Instagram story. 

Quick tip: You can also share any post to your own Instagram story, as long as the original poster has a public account. 

Here's how to share another story to your own: 

1. Open Instagram and tap the paper airplane icon in the top-right corner of the screen. 

Open your private Instagram messages. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

2. Select the message conversation with the Instagram user who tagged you in their story. 

3. Tap Add This to Your Story.

Once you're tagged, you can add someone else's story directly to yours. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

4. Make any edits and post the story to your own, as you would normally add to your story. 

How to send a story as a direct message

You can also share a story privately using Instagram direct messages — even if you haven't been tagged in the story. Here's how to do it. 

1. Navigate to the story you want to send.

2. Tap the three dots, located toward the lower-right corner of the screen.

Tap the three dots. Devon Delfino

3. Choose Send to…

Choose Send to… Devon Delfino

4. Tap the desired name or account to send your story to them in Instagram's DMs.

Tap the desired name to send your story. Devon Delfino

How to share a story outside of Instagram

Finally, it's possible to share a story externally by copying the link and sending it through email, text, or other social platforms . 

1. Navigate to an Instagram Story.

2. Tap the three dots, located in the lower-right corner of the screen. A pop-up menu will then appear.

3. Choose Copy Link. The link will then be copied to your device's clipboard.

Choose Copy Link. Devon Delfino

4. Paste the link into the desired sharing option (for example, email or a text message) and hit send.